Florida Senate passes 15-week abortion ban, sends it to DeSantis

St. Pete extends $15 an hour to all city workers; student walkouts protest "don't say gay" bill; Florida to let anglers catch, kill goliath grouper

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View on the web Go to our home page Subscribe to the Times Friday, March 4, 2022 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters Hey, it's Friday. Sunny weather today accompanies a high of 88 and a low of 61, with a similar forecast for the weekend.   Scroll on to read about a Clearwater woman helping coordinate aid for her native Ukraine; students at Tampa Bay high schools walking out in protest of Florida's “don’t say gay” bills; columnist Stephanie Hayes' intro to crypto and the metaverse; and more.  [The Florida Channel] Florida Senate passes 15-week abortion ban, sending it to Gov. Ron DeSantis to be signed into law A historic and controversial bill that would ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk for his signature. The Florida Senate voted late Thursday to approve the measure despite emotional speeches and efforts to change or kill the bill. The Senate didn’t change a single word of the measure that passed the House last month, even after a Democrat-led attempt to add a rape, incest and human trafficking exception. The bill will likely face legal challenges. But top Republican lawmakers are optimistic. Other states are also eyeing more restrictive abortion measures.   Kirby Wilson recounts the bill's path and shares what happens next. AROUND THE BAY Rays ownership lawsuit: Some complaints against Stuart Sternberg brought by the team’s minority owners will be settled through arbitration. But a jury could still rule on his removal as general partner.   TrendyMinds expands to St. Petersburg: The Indianapolis-based digital marketing firm is opening a downtown office — with plans to hire 100 workers.   Minimum wage extended: All St. Petersburg city employees will earn at least $15 an hour beginning April 1, Mayor Ken Welch announces.   Standoff continues: Tampa council members want Mayor Jane Castor’s staff to appear in person to discuss the controversial City Center project. Whether that will happen is far from certain.   Apartment building blaze: A fire broke out at an apartment building in Kenneth City late Wednesday night, forcing at least 22 families from their homes, officials said.   Hub of support: A Pinellas County church is collecting donations to help refugees from the war in Ukraine. For the parishioner at the center of the efforts, this work is personal.   Florida OKs anglers keeping goliaths: Wildlife regulators on Thursday decided to allow people to catch and kill goliath grouper for the first time since 1990. The change comes as basic questions about the fish remain unanswered.   Oh, hoppy day 🍻: Your guide to Tampa Bay Beer Week.   Tampa welcomes back the Weeknd: The pop singer will stop at RayJay a year after his Super Bowl 55 performance. Skrillex, T-Pain and a loaded Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival lineup are coming to town, too. BRIGHT SPOT [Courtesy of Gasparilla Festival of the Arts] Gasparilla season continues with the return of GFA in downtown Tampa For the first time since 2020, the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts will take place in person this weekend. Attendees can immerse themselves in the work of more than 200 fine art and fine craft artists across Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. Here's a closer look at what to expect. Your support makes a difference The Tampa Bay Times needs your help to keep delivering top-notch journalism. Please consider subscribing or making a tax-deductible donation to the Tampa Bay Times Journalism Fund. Donate Gain unlimited access CORONAVIRUS DEVELOPMENTS UPDATES AT TAMPABAY.COM/CORONAVIRUS Stimulus spending: St. Petersburg is using all $45 million of its American Rescue Plan Act dollars on affordable housing and health and social equity.   Nonprofit's mission gets boost: Hillsborough County pledged $5 million in COVID-19 relief funding toward Feeding Tampa Bay's new food bank and community outreach center.   Straz Center to drop mask rule: Starting Monday, the Tampa performing arts center will no longer require face coverings for most shows.   Top option for protection: Pfizer's vaccine helped protect kids 5 and older from hospitalization and death amid the omicron surge, new CDC data shows. Pediatricians say the shots are still the best way to prevent serious illness. POLITICS Widespread walkout: On Thursday, Tampa Bay high school students left school in protest of Florida's "don't say gay" bill. They say the legislation would add to the challenges LGBTQ+ kids already face.   $300 million: That's how much Florida owns in investments in Russian companies. On Thursday, House Republicans avoided trying to divest the amount — on a technicality.   Senate passes immigration bill: The contentious proposal seeks to cramp the flow of undocumented immigrants into Florida — and send a message from Republican lawmakers to President Joe Biden.   DeSantis presses Legislature: He's calling on state lawmakers to pass a bill that would make it harder for medical boards to discipline doctors for their views.   Florida's first lady: Casey DeSantis is officially cancer free, the governor says.   Political maps approved: The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday gave new legislative redistricting maps the OK. A lawsuit could still challenge them. Dive deeper into your favorite local subjects 📨 Our free email newsletters bring the best of the Tampa Bay Times to your inbox every week. Explore all of them here. OPINION AND COMMENTARY [MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times] Crypto and the metaverse, explained by our columnist What is cryptocurrency? NFTs? Are you ashamed that you have no idea what any of this is?    Stephanie Hayes offers a beginner's guide from a crypto-themed restaurant in Clearwater Beach — surrounded by meme dogs, day trading "candle patterns" and Jeff Bezos quotes.   Come study with her. On track to become law: The Times Editorial Board weighs in on Florida's 15-week abortion ban, saying it's neither "pro-life" nor "pro-choice" — just cruel. SPORTS Tough loss for Bolts: The team showed fire and fight. They threw fists and foul language, but none of it helped in Thursday night's 5-1 defeat against the Penguins at Amalie Arena. Falling to Cup contenders: They may win the division, but the Lightning are struggling against the NHL's elite teams. What if that's the new normal around here? Read the latest from columnist John Romano.   Big-leaguer hot spot: USF's baseball stadium has become a workout location for a handful of A-listers. Check out the latest sightings.   'We're going to be great': Veteran Bucs left tackle Donovan Smith isn't sweating his team's future, even with some major retirements and changes that have some fans panicking. Hear more from him and right tackle Tristan Wirfs. TODAY'S TALKER [Times (1969)] Revisit Jack Kerouac's St. Petersburg years for his 100th birthday The late Beat Generation writer would have been 100 this month. On Friday, an art show's opening reception kicks off a series of events celebrating the occasion. What was life like for Kerouac in the Sunshine City? We take a look back. Today's DayStarter was compiled by Meaghan Habuda, Carly Thompson, Rachel Adamson, Allison Ross and Amy Gehrt. Did someone forward this to you? Get DayStarter in your own inbox next time. It's free to subscribe. Sign up here. Contact us Privacy policy Terms, conditions & copyright Standard of accuracy © 2022 • All Rights Reserved Tampa Bay Times • 490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 To ensure this email is delivered to your inbox, add custserv@elist.tampabay.com to your address book. You are receiving this email because you signed up for the "DayStarter" newsletter from the Tampa Bay Times. If you'd prefer not to receive updates, you can unsubscribe from this email.